Reproductive system Flashcards
What does the seminal fluid consist of
Fructose
Bicorbonate
Citric acid
Fibrinogen
Fibrinolytic enzymes
Why is the testes suspended in the scrotum
Keep temperatures 2-3 degrees lower than body
What is the role of the epidydimis
Stores and matures the sperm
If not ejaculated broken down
What is the ductus deferenes/ vas
Transport sperm to penis
What does prostate and seminal vesicles do
Secrete seminal fluid to support ejaculated sperm
What muscles are the penis made up of
2 corpora cavvernose
1 corpus spongiosum
What type of stimulation is erection
Arterial relaxation due to parasympathetic stimulates, results in increase pressure which obstructs venous drainage
What do the bulbo-urethral glands do
Secretes sugar-rich mucus into urethra for lubrication and contribute to pre-ejaculatory emissions
What does the spermatic cord do
Suspends the tests
passes along inguinal canal and down to scrotum
contains - vas deferenes, testicular artery, pampiniform, plexus of veins, autonomic nerves, lymph bessels, artery of vas, cremasteric artery, genital branch of genitofemoral nerve, remnants of processus vaginalis
How is the testes arterial blood supply
Testicular arteries from aorta via spermatic cord
What part of the testes can be palpated
Epidydmis
What is the tunica vasculosa
It contains the blood vessels
What is the tunica albuginea
Thick layer that forms the septa dividing the testis into lobules
What is the tunica vaginalis
Covers testis and epidydimis
What is the anatomy of the the testes
What is the anatomy of the male reproductive tract
Where do the seminiferous tubules drain into
Epidydimis
Contain closed loops
Why is the vas deferens easily palpatable
Surrounded by smooth muslce
Travels with the testicular artery/veins/nerves in the spermatic cord
Allows male sterilisation easier
Where are the ovaries situated in
Peritoneal cavity
How does fallopian tubes carry egg
Have cilia and spiral muscles sensitive to oestrogen levels
If it doesn’t move down properly then susceptible to ectopic
Where does fertilisation in the fallopian tube take place
Widest section called ampulla
How is the uterus supported
Tone of pelvic floor - levator ani and coccygeus muscles
Ligaments - broad, round and uterosacral ligaments
What are the different layers of the uterus
Serosa - peritoneal covering
Myometrium - thick smooth muscle layer sensitive to hormones
Endometrium
What is the process of the period
Intermittent vasoconstriction
Ischaemia/necrosis causing shedding
Haemorrhage of menstration
Happens as porgesterone levels fall
How does cervix act as a barrier
Thick cervical mucus
Shedding of endometrium
Glycogen released which lactobacilli digest releasing lactic acid
Lowers pH ereventing infection
What can antibiotics do to this area of the cervix
Disrupt it which causes overgrowth and infections
Diagram of the female reproductive tract
Germ cells across lifespan
Gametogenesis for male
What is the tunica propria composed of
Flattened cells, several cells thick forming a basement membrane
Most of the cells lying against the basement membrane and have round nuclei are spermatogonia
What is the function of sertoli cell
Within seminiferous tubules
FSH receptors
Support developing germ cells - movement of germ cells to tubular lumen, nutrients from capillaries to developing germ cells, pahgocytosis of damaged germ cells
Hormone synthesis - (inhibin and activin on FSH), anti-mullerian homrone (regression of mullerian ducts), androgen binding protein (directs t to germ cells)
What is the function of leydig cells
Secrete hormones outside of the tubules
Pale cytoplaqsm as cholestrol-rcih
LH receptors
homrone synthesis - androgens(testerone/oestrogens), androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone
Diagram of the seminiferous tubules
Picture of gametogenesis in female
Meiotic dision halted at prophase until menarche
This is during the 2nd trimester of pregnancy
Formes primordial follicles
Diagram of folliculogenesis
Steps of folliculogenesis
- Primordial follic
- Primary (preantral) follicle - layers of granulosa cells and outer theca cells
- Secondary (antral) follicle - antrum develops, develop FSH and LH receptors
- Mature (preovulatory) follice - forms due to LH surge, secondary oocyte formed
- Ruptures surface of ovary
- 7 - Corpus luteum - produces progesterone and oestrogen
Anatomy of the mature follicle
Outer theca cells produce androgens
Granulosa cells bind to FSH to aromatise androgens to oestrogens
Lots of follicles develop but dominant follicle overtakes as produces most oestrogen
What does the theca cell do
Associated with outer part of the ovarian follicles
Supports folliculogensis - structurally and nutritional
Hormone synthesis - LH stimulates synthesis of androgens,
What does the granulosa cell do
Inner part of ovarian follciiles
Hormone synthesis - FSH sitmulates granulosa cells to convert androgens to oestrogens by aromatase. Secretes inhibin and activin
After ovulation - turns into granulosa lutein cells that produce progesterone and relaxine
Where does human steroidogensis occur
Where does human steroidgenesis occur in men
Leydig cell
Diagram of the hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis
How does hyperprolactinaemia inhibit kisspeptin
Binds to prolactin receptors on kisspeptin
Inhibits kisspeptin release
Decrease in GnRH/LH/FSH/T/Oest
What feedback loops are involved in the menstrual cycle
Hypothalamic kisspeptin and GnRH
Ovarian oestrogen, progesterone, activin and inhibin
Pituitary LH and FSH
Picture of the menstural cycle
What happens in the follicular phase of menstrual cycle
LH and FSH rises
FSH stimulates follicles to mature which makes oestrogen
Oestrogens stimulates synthesis of LH receptors
Most of the oestrogen is from dominant follicle and FSH dips due to negative feedback
As oestrogen rises there is a switch to positive feedback resulting in LH surge and reduce in FSH
LH surge results in maturation and relese of the dominant follicle
What happens to the menstrual phase of uterine cycle
Ishchaemic and necrotic functional laeyr of endometrium is shed along with blood from spinal arteries
What happens in the proliferative phase of the uterine cycle
Endometrium proliferates to form a new functional layer and cervical mucus thins
What happenes in the lutueal phase of ovarian cycle
Average length is 14d depend on CL
Progesterone is dominant and inhibitds LH and FSH
CL breaks down slowly unless hCG is present - produced by implanting conceptus
What happens in the luteal phase of menstrual cycle
Endometrium secretes a glycogen-rich fluid in preparation fora. potential embryo
As progesterone and O fall,arteries constrict and cases ischaemia and necrosis
Why does the body temperature dip 0.5 degrees during ovulation
Due to progesterone
